The present invention relates to a grouping or arranging apparatus for providing groups of containers, with each group having a prescribed length and being formed by separating from a stream of containers that is being fed by a conveyor means a number of containers that corresponds to the group length.
A grouping apparatus of this general type is known from DE-OS 37 02 954. With this known grouping apparatus, where the movement of the grouping mechanisms in the desired manner is achieved on the one hand by the rotating drive means and on the other hand by a guide arm that cooperates with a control member, an adjustment or adaptation of the spacing (group length) to different container sizes is possible without difficulty. The grouping mechanisms are pivotably held on the drive means equidistantly from one another, and are controlled by the guide arm that cooperates with the control member in such a way that the dividing means, which are grouping fingers, have a respectively prescribed angular position relative to the conveying direction of the conveyor means, especially also at the beginning as well as the at the end of a portion of the path of rotation of the grouping mechanisms, i.e. in the region of the inlet and in the region of the outlet of the grouping apparatus. This angular position at the beginning and at the end of the portion of the path of rotation ultimately determines the spacing or group length. By altering the position of the control member relative to the drive means, this angular position and hence the spacing or group length can then be altered or adjusted, even though the grouping mechanisms are pivotably provided on the drive means at prescribed equal distances from one another. With the heretofore known grouping apparatus, the control member is also a rotationally driven belt or chain type member, thereby necessitating a not inconsiderable structural outlay.
Also known is a grouping apparatus (DE-OS 27 11 702) where a plurality of grouping mechanisms are provided that each have dividing means or grouping fingers, are embodied as carriages, and run via rollers in a common, closed guide means, and in particular in such a way that each carriage or grouping mechanism during a complete travel along the path of movement first moves out of a starting or feed position that is provided far below the transport plane of a conveyor means upwardly along a circular portion of the movement path to the inlet of the grouping apparatus, then along an essentially horizontal portion of the movement path in the conveying direction of the conveying means to the outlet of the grouping apparatus, then downwardly along a further circular portion of the movement path, and finally back to the starting or feed position along an essentially horizontally portion of the movement path in a direction counter to the conveying direction of the conveyor means. The guide means for the grouping mechanisms is formed from two respectively closed curve means that are provided at a distance from and parallel to one another and are fixed on a frame of the machine. Each grouping mechanism is guided in each curve means via two rollers. In addition to the guide means, with this known grouping apparatus there is also provided a drawing or drive element for moving the grouping mechanisms, and in particular in the form of a costed, continuously rotating driven chain. The grouping mechanisms as well as this chain are embodied in such a way that the grouping mechanisms that are available at the starting or feed position can be successively positively connected with a chain via a coupling means that is provided at that location, so that the grouping mechanisms, which after such a connection are respectively carried along by the chain, have during their movement between the inlet and the outlet of the grouping apparatus a spacing from one another that corresponds to the required group length. By means of an uncoupling device, the grouping mechanisms are again disengaged from the drive means in the vicinity of the outlet, and are returned to the starting position, where a certain number of grouping mechanisms that are not engaging the drive means are available.
With this heretofore known grouping apparatus, where the grouping mechanisms are not continually connected with the drive means, and where the grouping mechanisms are therefore not uniformly spaced from one another, with the grouping mechanisms being disposed one right after the other at the starting position and not having a spacing that corresponds to the group length, although an adjustment of this group length is also possible, this can be accomplished only with a very significant structural outlay. An alteration of the group length by changing the angular position that the dividing means or grouping fingers respectively have at the inlet or outlet is not provided with this known grouping apparatus. Rather, at that location the dividing means or grouping fingers that, regardless of the respective group length at the inlet and the outlet, respectively have the same angular position relative to the conveying direction of the conveying means.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a grouping apparatus of the aforementioned general type that has a simpler construction.